Rear signal for vehicles.



M. F. WALSH. REAR SIGNAL POR VEHGLES. APPMGATION FILED 11011.21, 1912.

l 1,108,036. y'Patented Aug.18,1914.

3 SHEETSSHBET 1.

i 1- i 1 H rig l E l 5 1 Q C# N@ v n o 1 s W/TNESSES INVENTOR Quim /w/m/m EWALSH,

` M ATTORNEYS M. F. WALSH. REAR SIGNAL FOBl VEHICLES.

APPLIOATION FILED 11011.21, 1912.

Patented Aug. 18, 1914n INVENTOR 3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

WITNESSI CNQWU ATTORNEYS M. E'. WALSH. REAR SIGNAL FOB. VEHICLES. APPLIGATION Hmm Nov. 21, 1912.

1,108,036. Patented Aug. 18, 1914.

3 SHEETS-:SHEET 3.

INVENTOR WTNESSES f 6. MQW M/cH/IEL ,FW/fwn,

` M ATTORNEYS upon the extensions 15 of the frame 14, and lyn, in the county of Kings and State of are provided each with a lower guide shelf New York, have invented a new and Im- 21and an upper guide shelf 22. The guideproved Rear Signal for Vehicles, of 'which shelves 21 and 22 ai'e each suitably perfothe following is. a full, clear, and exact derated to receive latch-operating rods 23 andv scription. 21. The rods 23 and 24 are provided to'rock 65 Among the principal objects which the plates 25, which are furnished as lsupports present invention has in view are: to profor latch heads 26 The latch heads 26 aie vide a signal apparatus readable at the rear pioi ided to retain in out-of-service position of a vehicle to show the purpose of the targets 27, 28, 29 and 30, for which purpose driver ot the vehicle; to provide an operateac i 'of the brackets is provided with a stop 70 ing mechanism for a signal, which is simple 'pin 31' to override the inclined surfaces of and eihcient; and' to provide operating said late heads, springs 32 with which each means for the apparatus, to avoid interferof the latch heads is provided, yielding to ence ofthe various signal devices, and to seaccommodate `this movement on the part of cure a desired precedence of the signals. lthe targets and the stop pins 31 thereof. 75 veference is to be had to the accompanyhereare-.four `.targets 27, 28, 29 and 30 ing drawings forming a part of this speciiprovided, each having a word printed therecation, in which similar characters of refon The targets are constructed of any suitcrenee indicate corresponding parts in all a le transparent material, preferably cellutlie views, and in which` loid, to permit the light of an electric lamp so Figure 1 is a faceview of the apparatus o pass therethrouofh Upon each of the employed by me; Fig. 2 is a vertical longitargets lis printed a word indicative of the tudinal section of the containing case for intent 'of the driver of the vehicle upon the apparatus, showing in side elevation the whichv the apparatus is mounted. operating parts of the apparatus; Fig. 3-is As shown in the accompanying drawings,'s5 a horizontal cross section taken on the line the target y27 has imprinted thereon the 3`3 in Fig.3,showinga fragment ofthe conword Slow. The target 28 carries the taining case, showing a top view of a portion word Left the target29 carries the word o the operating members of the apparatus; Right; andthe target 30 carries the word Fg.4 is a vertical cross section of the appa- Stop. This is not shown in the drawings, ratus, taken on the line 4-`4 in Fig. 2; Fig. being obscured by the target 29 in Fi@ 2 of 5 is a diagrammatic view showing the tie drawings y su itches and electric circuits for operating he service position of each of the targets the apparatus; Fig 6 is a detail view in veris that where the target is raised in line with v tica section, showin@ in detail one of the the glass 12 or view opening of the case 11, 95 o erating switches. jas shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings, where LlAs seen in the accompanying drawings, a the target 27 is exposed behind the glass 12. containing case 11 is provided, it being in- Each of the targets is thus raised bylone of tended that said case shall be permanently :the magnets 16, one of said magnets being mounted at the rear of an automobile or assigned to eachof said targets. The tarother vehicle in position to be seen by the gets are supported by arms 34, 35, 36 anddrivers'of following vehicles. The case is 37. e arms 34 and 35 are each mounted furnished with a View opening, normally upon a shaft 38 at one side of the case ll covered by a transparent glass 12. Upon he arms 36 and 37 are pivotally mounted the bottom 13 of the case is mounted a supon a shaft 39 at the opposite side of the 105 porting frame 14, having lateral extensions case. The shafts 38 and 39 are each l5 disposed to support in parallel arrangemountedin one of the brackets 20. The ment he magnets 16, which, as shown in arms 35 and 37 are each provided with a the rawings, are'mounted in vertical couforwardly-extended portion 40, to hold the ples serially wound. The cores 17 of the targets 28 and 30 inplanes 'juxtaposed lto 11o MICHAEL F. WAJSH, OF NEW YORK, N. Y. REAR SIGNAL FOR VEHICLES.

Spcification of Letters Patent. Application filed November 21, 1912.

1,108,036. Patented Aug. 1S, 1914.

Serial No. 732.711.

To all Awhom Be it known that I, a citizen ot' the United of the city of New York, borough of Broolt may concern MICHAEL F. 1V ALsH, Stat-es, and a resident mounted on a shaft 19 supported upon, and laterally extended from, brackets 20.

The brackets 20 are both rigidly mounted various magnets are suitably disposed in line with levers v18, said levers being each the planes in which operate the targets 27 5 of the drawings,

"the pull of the levers `each circuit incorporating one The arms 34, 35, 36 and 37 are each connected by rods 41, to one of the levers 18. The levers 18, it will be understood, serve as armatures for the various magnets 16, in the plane of the cores 17 whereof said levers swing.

From the when any one of the magnets 16 is energized, the lever 1.8 corresponding thereto and in front of the cores 17 thereof, is drawn against the cores; rocking on the shaft 19, the free end of the lever 18 draws the short end of the arm 34, 35, 36 or 37, as the case may be, rocking said arm upon the shaft 38 or 39. Coincident with this action of the lever 18, one of the rods-23 is lifted by the pull of the upper magnet upon a block 42. Eachrod 23 has rigidly mounted thereon one of the blocks 42. The blocks 42 are normally disposed in closer approximation to the upper of the magnet couples, to be influenced by the core of said'upper magnet. `With the lift of any of the 'rOds 23, the connected plate 25 is rocked in bearings ,provided therefor in standards 43. By thus rocking any of the plates 25, the latch head 26 connected therewith is removed from engagement with the pin 31 on the corresponding target. The target being thus released, 1 8 on the Short end Vof the arm supporting the selected'target moves the long end ofsaid arml and target connected therewith vinto service position, where the target glass 12 and the lamp 33. The above position is maintained while the electric circuit energizing the holding magnet is maintained. When the circuit lis broken, the magnet becomes denergized, to release the block 42 and rod 23 connected therewithto return the plate 25 and latch head 26 to their normal position prior to the target dropping into out-of-service. position. en the target thus drops, the weight carries the V.jpin 31 over the latch head 26, the spring 32 yielding to permit the depression of said latch head, the same swinging on its pivot 44. The spring 32 operates to lift the free end of the latch head until arrested by a stop pin 45, as seen best in Fig. 2 of the drawings.

There being four targets, it becomes necessary that provision be made to avoid placing two targets in service position at any one time. It is to avoid this that I provide a series of operating electric circuits,

of said magnet coup es and a battery or other electric source 4 Incorporated. onthree are switches, shown in ldig.

of the four circuits 6 of the drawings. In .F ig. these switches are designated 47 48 49. Each of the three and above-mentioned switches is provided with foregoing, it will be seen thatl is interposed between the` connected constructed substantially as a spring cont-acting member 50. The meinber 50 supports a button 51, which is eX- to extend between terminal blocks 55 and 56. The blocks 55 and 56 form the terminals of short branches 57 extending between the switches 47 and 48, and 48 and 49, which branches also constitute a port-ion of the common return 58 of the operating electric circuit. This circuit is best traced by starting from the switch 59, which is the fourth unit of the controlling switches. Each of said 'switches v47, 48, 49 and 59 is connected by wires 60, 61, 62 ,and 63 with the circuit lead wire 64 from the opposite side-of the battery 46 to that connected with the return 58.

lncorporated upon leach of the wires 60 to 63 inclusive is one of the magnets 16. By this arrangement when the driver depresses the button 51 on any of the switches 47 48, 49 or 59, the circuit incorporating one of the `:magnets 16 and the battery 46 is completed by the free end of the member 50 impinging upon the terminal block 65 bottom 53 of the box casl mounted upon the ing 52. 1n thus depressing one of the meinbers 50, the wedge 54 is withdrawn from between the terminal blocks 55 and 56 associated therewith. This breaks the return circuit for certain of the switches, or those farther removed from the battery than the particular switch so operated.

The purpose, in breaking the return 58 by the use of the branches 57 is to insure against the possibility of placing two targets in service position simultaneously, and

to secure the desired precedence in the use of the said targets.

Thus the wedge 54, when removed from the blocks 55 and 56 in any particular switch, serves to cut'out the succeeding switches and their controlledmagnets. To avoid'cutting out theoperating switch, the switches 48 and 49 are provided with branches 66, connecting the binding post 67 in each ofv said switches with onel of the branches'. 57. The binding post. 67 of the switch 47 .is connected to the return 58 by a branch 68.v When thus wired, it willloel observed that, if the operator depresses the button 51 on the switch 47 the magnet 16 the end of the spring member 50 impinges upon lthe block to close thecircuit. Coincident with the depression of the spring member 50 of -the switch 47, the wedge 54 with the same spring is removed of the switch 47. 68, it will be obthe circuit is maintained through 60, battery. 46, and 58, but it will also be observed By means of the branch served, the switch 47 the wire the return on the `wire 60 is 4energized when 129 ies iio

, gets 28 and 29, to indicate i Thus,

, the three other targets is broken by that the circuit is broken and cannot be closed by the operation of the switches 48, 49 or 59. This condition of the circuits is shown in F ig. 5 of the drawings.

The target 30 having the word Stop printed thereon is controlled by the switch 47, and in mounting the system on an automobile or other vehicle where the brake is controlled by the foot, the switch 47 is usually disposed adjacent said brake, in position to be operated by the heel of the operator when operating the brake. The operation of the brake may be an emergency application, and the driver may overlook the fact that he may be at that moment with his other foot holding the left or slow targets in operative position. Due to the particular wiring above described, however, when the switch 47 is operated, the circuit previously established for operating any of the removal of the wedge 54 from between the blocks 55 and 56 at the switch 47. The next target in importance is the target 27 having the word Slow printed thereon. The switch 48 controlling this adjacent the clutch, or the pedal, of the automobile controlling the supply of gas or explosive fuel. It will be observed that, while the circuit controlled by the switch 48 can only be effective when the switch 47 is not being used, the operation of the switch 4S breaks the circuit for the switch 49 and the switch 59, neither of which can be operated while either the switch 48 or the switch 47 is in operative position.

The switches 49 and 59 control the tarthe intention to turn to the left or right. Of these two targets, the most important is the left turn, for the obvious reason that under usual conditions the vehicle has nothing to fear from following vehicles endeavoring to pass on the right side, the law of the road compelling the passage of a following vehicle on the left of the vehicle ahead. It is for this reason that the switch 49 breaks the circuit which would otherwise be closed by the switch 59 when` operated. from the foregoing it will be seen that il' thev driver has operated either of the switches 4S, 49 or 59, to place siti on the target indicating slow, left or right, the operation oi the switch 47 serves to drop vthe target previously set, while setting in front Iof the lamp 33 the target 30 having imprinted thereon the word Stop.

By the above arrangement of the circuits controlling the various targets, possibility of confusion arising from the setting of two targets, is avoided.

The circuits for the lamp 33 are broken.

target is usually located l that indicating They are closed only when one of the levers S impinges upon one of the flexible contact springs 69.. he springs 69 are rigidly mounted upon the upper shelf 22, as best seen in Fig. 2 of the drawings. The free ends of the springs 69 ,are adapted'to impinge upon a terminal plate 70, also rigidly mounted on the shelf 22. The plate 70 is provided with a binding post 7l, to which one terminal of the circuit incorporating the lamp 33 is connected. The other terminal of the lamp 33 is connected with the binding' post 72.

From the above it will be seen that the lighting circuit of the lamp 33 operates only when one of the targets is in service position. In this manner, the electric current is conserved.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent r` l. A signal, having a plurality of targets pivotally mounted and adapted for movement'to a common view-point; a plurality of electro-mechanical devices for moving said targets to said viewpoint; a plurality of electric circuits, each incorporating one of said devices; an electric source supplying all of said circuits; a plurality of manuallyoperable switches, each being arranged to complete one of said circuits; a common element for said circuits intermediate all of said switches and said electric source; and a plurality of make-and-break members mounted on said common element between said switches and electric source, said makeand-break members embodying separated terminal members and means for connecting the same, said means being each operatively connected with one of said switches.

2. A signal as characterized, embodying a plurality of targets movable to a common view-point, each of said targets having'a direction symbol impressed thereon, said symbols being arranged in series, said series corresponding progressively to the order of importance of said symbols; a plurality of electro-mechanical apparatuses for moving said targets adjacent said viewpoint, said apparatuses incorporating each a manually-operated circuit-closing member; and means connected with each of said circuit-closing'members for opening the operating circuits controlling the targets having symbols of relatively less importance.

In testimony whereof-I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

MICHAEL F. WALSH.

Witnesses:

E. F. MURDooK, PHILIP D. RoLLHAUs. 

